About maketodayrock.com: We celebrate musicians' birthdays, remember those we've lost, and highlight key moments in music such a release dates, chart peak dates, or anything else tied to a specific date. Pick any day from the menu in the top right. The front page shows recent obituaries.
April 15, 1982 ~ Post-hardcore, emo, indie rock, alternative rock, pop rock Anthony Green born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Active since the late 1990s as lead singer for a number of bands including Audience Of One, Jeer At Rome, Zolof The Rock & Roll Destroyer, High And Driving, Saosin, the Sound Of Animals Fighting, Circa Survive, and LS Dunes. Has also recorded well over half a dozen studio albums as a solo artist, starting with Avalon released in 2008
April 15, 1980 ~ Blues rock, garage rock, alternative rock, indie rock drummer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist Patrick Carney, full name Patrick James Carney, born in Akron, Ohio, USA ~ Best known as drummer for critics darlings the Black Keys, alongside guitarist, singer Dan Auerbach. The duo is acclaimed for the mid 2000s albums Thickfreakness and Rubber Factory. Guested on the Rentals 2014 Lost In Alphaville album. Carney has also served as producer for the likes of the Sheepdogs, Tennis, the Black Lips, Tobias Jesso Jr, Karen Elson, and Michelle Branch, whom he would marry in 2019
April 15, 1978 ~ Songwriter, guitarist, singer Chris Stapleton born in Staffordsville, Kentucky, USA ~ Member of Steeldrivers. Made a name for himself as a songwriter, writing or co-writing songs for Darryl Worley, Josh Turner (Your Man), Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney (Never Wanted Nothing More), Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson, Luke Bryan (Drink A Beer), and George Strait (Love's Gonna Make It Alright), prior to debuting as a singer in 2015 with the album Traveller. Stapleton has since racked up well over half a dozen Billboard Country top 20 hits, including the charttoppers Starting Over and You Should Probably LeaveApril 15, 1974 ~ Songwriter Giovanni D'Anzi passed away in Genoa, Italy ~ Frequent collaborator of Alfredo Bracchi, working prolifically for radio, film and stage from the 1930s through the 1950s. The pair is responsible for songs such as Lina Termini's Ma L'Amore No, Tony Dallara's Bambina Innamorata and Carlo Buti's Ti Diro. Other artists who recorded their songs include Caterina Valente, Ornella Vanoni, Gigliola Cinquetti, Nicola Arigliano, Luciano Pavarotti, and José Carreras ~ D'Anzi was born in 1906
April 15, 1968 ~ Jazz, free jazz pianist John Blum born in New York, New York, USA ~ An underground legend of the New York music scene, Blum is known as a percussive pianist, praised for his high-voltage pianism, and regarded as somewhat of a hybrid of McCoy Tyner and Cecil Taylor, having studied with the latter. Other tutors include Borah Bergman, Milford Graves, and Bill Dixon. Blum has recorded over half a dozen albums as a leader, starting with Naked Mirror released in 2002, and is an in-demand sideman and collaborator. Notable associations include Butch Morris, Sunny Murray, and Steve Swell. Over the course of his career, Blum has also performed or recorded with the likes of Hamid Drake, Peter Brötzmann, Han Bennink, Wilber Morris, Raphe Malik, Darius Jones, Mat Maneri, Tony Buck, and Roy Campbell Jr
April 15, 1966 ~ Pop, dance-pop singer Samantha Fox, full name Samantha Karen Fox, born in London, UK ~ Page 3 girl that became one of the most popular pin-ups of the 1980s. As a singer known for a string of mid to late 1980s hits, regularly hitting the higher echelons of the charts in the UK and continentel Europe with songs such as Touch Me (I Want Your Body), Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now and Naughty Girls Need Love TooApril 15, 1965 ~ Bassist, songwriter Graeme Clark born in Glasgow, UK ~ Founding member of Wet Wet Wet, known best for their 1987 hit Wishing I Was Lucky of their Popped In Souled Out debut album. Other well known songs include Sweet Little Mystery, Angel Eyes (Home And Away), With A Little Help From My Friends and Goodnight Girl
April 15, 1965 ~ William Newbern, commonly known as blues, country blues guitarist Hambone Willie Newbern, passed away in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Worked with Yank Rachell and Sleepy John Estes. Recorded only half a dozen songs in the 1920s and 1930, but including one of the earliest known versions of Rollin' & Tumblin' though. The song would become a blues standard recorded by numerous artists, most notably by Muddy Waters in 1950 ~ Newborn was born ca.1901
April 15, 1962 ~ Ivor Neville Kamen, commonly known as model, singer, songwriter Nick Kamen, born in Essex, UK ~ Known for the 1980s singles Each Time You Break My Heart and I Promised Myself, both of which reached top 10 across Europe. The former was produced and written by Stephen Bray and Madonna, the latter also providing backing vocals. In his native UK Kamen is best known for appearing in a Levi's 501 television commercial ~ Kamen passed away in 2021
April 15, 1962 ~ Singer, actress Sally Ann Triplett born in London, UK ~ Best known for her appearances at the Eurovision Songfestival, first as lead female vocalist of Prima Donna in 1980 reaching third place with Love Enough For Two, and again two years later as half of the duo Bardo reaching seventh place with One Step Further. Also known as a stage actress, singer in numerous West End musicals including productions of Follies, Grease, Cats, and Mamma MiaApril 15, 1956 ~ Jazz bassist James Cammack born ~ Cites Israel Crosby, George Duvivier, and Milt Hinton as influences. Best known for his association with Ahmad Jamal. Also worked with Malachi Thompson, Alexis Cole, Larry Coryell, Bernard Pretty Purdie, Howard Johnson, Shahin Novrasli, Roberto Tarenzi, and Jorge Rossy
April 15, 1955 ~ Jazz, pop, rock guitarist Jeff Golub born in New York, New York, USA ~ Over a dozen albums to his name as a solo artist, drawing from jazz, R&B, and pop. Especially noted for the 1990s albums Naked City and Out Of The Blue. In-demand sideman from the 1980s onward, appearing on albums by the likes of the Chieftains, Rod Stewart (Tonight I'm Yours), Billy Squier, Peter Wolf (Come As You Are), David Broza, Palace, Tina Turner, Kane Roberts (Saints & Sinners), Willie & Lobo, Cheryl Wheeler, Bryan Savage (Cat Food), Rick Braun (Body And Soul), Ashford & Simpson, John Waite, and Gato Barbieri ~ Golub passed away in 2015
April 15, 1955 ~ Blues, R&B, rock guitarist, singer Tommy Castro born in San Jose, California, USA ~ Active since the 1970s. Solo records since the mid 1990s. Cites guitarists such as Mike Bloomfield, Elvin Bishop, Eric Clapton, BB King, Buddy Guy, Elmore James, and Freddie King, and singers such as Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett and James Brown as influences. Had artists such as John Lee Hooker, Charlie Musselwhite, Marcia Ball, Tab Benoit, Joe Bonamassa, the Holmes Brothers, Magic Dick, Mike Zito, Danielle Nicole, and David Hidalgo guest on his albums
April 15, 1953 ~ Classical, contemporary classical clarinetist David Campbell born ~ Widely regarded as one of the finest clarinetists of his generation. Closely associated with Peter Maxwell Davies, serving as a member of the Fires Of London chamber ensemble. Has also worked with the London Sinfonietta, the Endymion Ensemble, and Lontano. Premiered a number of works specifically written for him, notably Peter Lieuwen's concerto River Of Crystal Light and Michael Stimpson's The Sun And The Moon
April 15, 1952 ~ Bluegrass mandolinist, fiddler, banjoist, guitarist Sam Bush, full name Charles Samuel Bush, born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA ~ Regarded as one of the originators of progressive bluegrass. Actively performing since his early teens. Member of the Bluegrass Alliance, which reformed as the New Grass Revival in late 1971. With the band going through numerous personnel changes, Bush would remain the sole constant member. At times the band included renowned banjoist Béla Fleck, bassist John Cowan and guitarist Pat Flynn. Bush has recorded over half a dozen albums as a solo artist and collaborated with the likes of Doc Watson, Strength In Numbers, Edgar Meyer, David Grisman, Tony Rice, and Marc BroussardApril 15, 1951 ~ Classical pianist Anne Eline Riisnæs born in Oslo, Norway ~ Daughter of pianist Eline Nygaard Riisnæs, sister of jazz musicians Knut Riisnæs and Odd Riisnæs. Has worked with the Oslo Filharmonien, the Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester, and the NRK Orchestra
April 15, 1951 ~ Singer, songwriter, poet Pavel Zajicek born in Prague, Czechoslovakia ~ Founded DG 307 with bassist Milan Hlavsa. Named after the code for the psychiatric diagnosis that would exempt young men from compulsory military service, the band was one of the bands outlawed and persecuted by the communist regime. Zajicek would grow into one of the prominent figures of the Czech underground scene. Zajicek was also involved in another band with Hlavsa, the Plastic People Of The Universe, for whom he co-wrote Apokalyptickej Pak. Having fled the regime Zajicek returned to his native Czechoslovakia after the the Velvet Revolution of the late 1980s, and reformed DG 307
April 15, 1948 ~ Rock, hard rock singer, songwriter Phil Mogg, full name Phillip John Mogg, born in Wood Green, UK ~ Co-founding and sole constant member, lead singer, main lyricist for UFO, initially a space rock outfit turning more towards rock and hard rock over the years. The band has been credited as a major influence on hard rock and heavy metal of the 1980s and 1990s, paving the way for acts such as Metallica, Iron Maiden, Guns 'n Roses, Alice In Chains, and Dio. Prior to his career in music Mogg was a junior boxing championApril 15, 1947 ~ Conductor, operatic singer Michel Piquemal born in Paris, France ~ As a singer known for interpretations of Franz Liszt, Lalo Schifrin, Gioachino Rossini. As a conductor has worked with the Orchestra National De Lille, the Orchestre De Chambre De Paris, the Hungarian National Symphony, and the Moroccan Philharmonic Orchestra
April 15, 1947 ~ Songwriter, producer Mike Chapman born in Nambour, Australia ~ Frequent partner of Nicky Chinn. As songwriters and producers the pair is responsible for shaping the sound of 1970s UK pop and pop-rock, working with Smokie, Sweet (Poppa Joe), Suzi Quatro (Devil Gate Drive), Mud (Tiger Feet) and Racey. Chapman, without Chinn, has also produced and written for artists such as Blondie (Heart Of Glass), the Knack, Agnetha Fältskog, Divinyls, Pat Benatar, Tina Turner (The Best), and Ace Of Base
April 15, 1946 ~ Singer, actress, novelist, model Marsha Hunt born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Romantically involved with T.Rex-frontman Marc Bolan and the Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, with whom she has one child. Reportedly the subject of the Stones song Brown Sugar. Has worked with Long John Baldry's band Bluesology before gaining serious attention portraying the role of Dionne in the 1967 UK production of the Hair musical. As a solo singer best known for appearing at the famed 1969 Isle Of Wight festival, her Tony Visconti-produced cover of Dr John's Walk On Gilded Splinters the same year and a subsequent 1971 Woman Child album, the latter again produced by ViscontiApril 15, 1946 ~ Rock, blues guitarist, slide guitarist Mike McKenna born in Toronto, Canada ~ Especially admired for his slide guitar technique. Active since the early 1960s. Member of blues unit Luke & the Apostles, noted for opening for the Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead and best known for their 1967 Been Burnt hit. Briefly a member of the Ugly Ducklings. Closely associated with Joe Mendelson, including in the seminal the McKenna Mendelson Mainline known for their 1969 Stink landmark album. Has since worked with numerous acts including the Downchild Blues Band, the Guess Who, and Slidewinder
April 15, 1945 ~ Piper Liam O'Flynn born in Kill, Ireland ~ Influenced by Willie Clancy and Séamus Ennis. Best known as a solo artist and as key member of Planxty. Also worked with Christy Moore, Dónal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Kate Bush (including on the 1982 album The Dreaming), Mark Knopfler, the Everly Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Mike Oldfield, Mary Black, Enya, Sinéad O'Connor, Nigel Kennedy, Rita Connolly, Matt Molloy, and Bill Whelan ~ O'Flynn passed away in 2018
April 15, 1943 ~ Samuel McClain, commonly known as soul-blues singer, songwriter Mighty Sam McClain, born in Monroe, Louisiana, USA ~ Got his first success with the releases Give It Up To Love in 1992 and Keep On Movin' in 1995. Earned critical praise for his 2000 album Blues For The Soul. Went on to collaborate with Iranian singer Mahsa Vahdat and later Ramy Essam ~ McClain passed away in 2015
April 15, 1942 ~ Erik Sven Fernström, commonly known as rockabilly, rock singer, actor Jerry Williams, born in Solna, Sweden ~ Lead singer for 1960s outfit the Violents, known best for their Darling Nelly Grey hit single. Worked with Roadwork throughout the 1970s. As a solo artist, Williams is best known for Did I Tell You, a No.1 hit in his native Sweden in 1989 ~ Fernström passed away in 2018